Thank You For Everything!

Hello! Thanks for visiting my blog!

Confections + Coffee has been around for a long time. 6 years, in fact.

I started this blog to share recipes and baking tips with my friends and family. I spent hours baking, cooking, creating, photography, writing, and posting my recipes on this site.

Because of Confections + Coffee, I was able to start a small home business, and sell baked goods for the holidays, for special occasions, and even weddings. My dream was coming true.

Over time, my love of baking has never wavered. I still love to bake and cook and document my culinary journey. The last 6 years has brought me so many opportunities, and I couldn't have done it without the support of all of my friends and followers.

Now, as 2018 approaches, I have an exciting adventure ahead. I will be attending the Savannah College of Art and Design starting in March! Because of this, my professional baking career will have to be put on hold while I focus on obtaining my MFA in Industrial Design.

I am so excited for this new journey in my life, and I hope you're interested in following along with me. If you ARE interested in following me, here is all of my new social media!

Blog - Kelli with an i

Facebook - Kelli with an i

Instagram - its_kelli_withani

YouTube - Kelli Roman

Thanksgiving Orders 2017

ORDERS ARE CLOSED!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!

Check out THIS LINK to see what I'm selling and to place your order!

Thanks for being awesome!

The Home Bakery Act of 2013

ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1094

By: Roberts (Dustin), Scott, Walker, Hoskin, Hall, Sherrer, Smalley, Bennett and Casey of the House
and

    Simpson and Dahm of the
    Senate

An Act

       An Act relating to public health and safety; creating
       the Home Bakery Act of 2013; defining terms;
       exempting certain establishment from licensing
       requirements; requiring certain establishment that
       sells prepared food to affix certain labeling
       information; providing for penalty; providing for
       certain construction; providing for codification; and
       providing an effective date.

SUBJECT:  Home Bakery Act of 2013

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

    SECTION 1.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-1440 of Title 63, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

    This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Home Bakery Act
of 2013”.

    SECTION 2.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-1440.1 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

    As used in the Home Bakery Act of 2013:

    1.  “Home food establishment” shall mean a business on the
premises of a residence in which prepared food is created for sale
or resale, for consumption off the premises, if the business has
gross annual sales of prepared food of less than Twenty Thousand
Dollars ($20,000.00).  Gross annual sales includes all sales of
prepared food produced by the business at any location; and

    2.  “Prepared food” shall mean any baked goods except for
products that contain meat products or fresh fruit.

    SECTION 3.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-1440.2 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

    A person operating a home food establishment shall be exempt
from the licensing requirements of the State Department of Health.
The Department, however, shall be permitted to request written
documentation in order to verify the gross annual sales of a home
food establishment.

    SECTION 4.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-1440.3 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

    A home food establishment that sells prepared food shall affix a
label that contains the following information:

    1.  The name and address of the home food establishment;

    2.  The name of the prepared food; and

    3.  The following statement printed in at least 10-point type in
a color that provides a clear contrast to the background of the
label:  “Made in a home food establishment that is not licensed by
the State Department of Health.”

    SECTION 5.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-1440.4 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

    Violation of Section 4 of the Home Bakery Act of 2013 shall be a
misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding One
Hundred Dollars ($100.00).

ENR. H. B. NO. 1094 Page 2

    SECTION 6.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-1440.5 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

    Nothing in the Home Bakery Act of 2013 shall be construed to
prevent counties from enacting ordinances regulating the operation
of home food establishments, provided such ordinances do not
conflict with the provisions of the Home Bakery Act of 2013.

    SECTION 7.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2013.

ENR. H. B. NO. 1094 Page 3

Passed the House of Representatives the 7th day of March, 2013.

                                 Presiding Officer of the House
                                             of Representatives

Passed the Senate the 9th day of April, 2013.

                                Presiding Officer of the Senate

 

                        OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
    Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________

day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________

    Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.

                                   _________________________________
                                   Governor of the State of Oklahoma

                   OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
    Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________

day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________

ENR. H. B. NO. 1094 Page 4 

May 20th - Baking and Decorating Roll-Out Sugar Cookies

Ever want to learn the magic behind baking and decorating iced sugar cookies? It's not as daunting as it seems!

Attend my 4-hour baking class to learn how to make, bake, and decorate iced cookies, and take home a dozen of your very own cookies!

What I will be teaching:
 - How to make roll-out sugar cookies
 - How to store and preserve sugar cookie dough
 - How to roll-out the dough for even baking
 - Other cookie dough tips and tricks
 - How to make royal icing
 - How to color royal icing
 - How to make royal icing outline and flood consistencies
 - How to decorate sugar cookies
 - Others tips and tricks for decorating sugar cookies

What you need to bring:
 - A cookie cutter of your choice (keep it small, around a 2" size)
     - Can be found at International Pantry, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, or even WalMart
 - A container for your cookies (I recommend a shallow cake box so you don't stack your cookies)
     - Like this one
     - Or this one
 - A drink if you'd like, I only keep cold water and tea in the house and no ice. :)

What I will have for you to use:
 - Food dyes for your royal icing to color how you see fit
 - Sprinkles for your cookies if you decide that's what you want
 - Decorating tools for you to use

What you get to take home:
 - A recipe for roll-out sugar cookies
 - A recipe for royal icing
 - Gained knowledge of baking cookies and decorating them so you can do it at home!
 - 1 dozen cookies that you, personally, get to roll-out, cut out, and decorate!

Date: May 20, 2017

Time: 11 AM - 2 PM

Cost: $20/person

To sign up, email me.

Some cookies I have made in the past:

Mother's Day - May 14th

I am selling cakes for Mother's Day! May 14, 2017!

Check out THIS LINK to see what I'm selling and to place your order!

Rose-topped Cake

Rosette Cake

Thanks for being awesome!

Valentine's Day Cookies!

If you are interested in ordering iced sugar cookies from me for Valentine's Day, please click HERE to go to the order page! They'll look just like these!

Photo cred: Annie's Eats

Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls - Just Us Four Guest Post - December 23

Hi there! Grab a cup of coffee and sit down with me for a bit! My name is Kelli and I run the blog Confections + Coffee! I am excited and honored to be a part of the holiday season guest posting for Just Us Four. I hope you enjoy these delicious bite sized treats! They were made with you busy bakers in mind! Enjoy! 

It's the holiday season and you know what that means, right? Peppermint! One of the only times of the year where peppermint is totally acceptable in every dessert you make!

Do you have a favorite peppermint candy? I love those soft peppermint sticks, I could eat a whole bag of them! As a matter of fact, I do almost every time I buy them, so I usually buy two bags. :)

So it's two days before Christmas and you have very little time to make a dessert for that gathering you kind of maybe forgot about. Oops! I've been there done that, which is actually how I developed these cookie balls! You can thank me later. :)

Anyways, back to the sweets. I ran across Peppermint Oreo Cookies at a grocery store. I don't know where you live, but where I live, our Wal-Mart's don't have those cool seasonal Oreos. It's so weird! I was so excited I just had to have them even though I don't eat Oreos. Yeah, I know, I'm weird.

I knew that I immediately wanted to make cookie balls. A chocolatey, creamy, pepperminty cookie ball coated in chocolate and topped with peppermint crunch just sounded perfect to me. This recipe is so easy, too! There is no baking at all. All the prepping is done in a food processor, then you chill the cookie balls for 10 minutes, the you coat them twice, top with peppermint crunch, and you're done! Easy peasy!

I was in such a holiday mood that I made tons of chocolate covered things. I'll be posting a couple more recipes that are great for holiday parties soon! Like those awesome chocolate covered pretzels with toppings and a chocolate covered ritz peanut butter cracker sandwich. Those are a holiday tradition in my home!

Brookie Sandwich

Have you ever had a brookie? A brookie is a brownie + cookie. I will admit (please do not ostracize me) that I am not a chocolate dessert fan. I've tried recipes and had recipes that were chocolate this or chocolate that and they were just horrible. Bland, not chocolatey enough, dry, bleck. Who wants a dry un-chocolatey cookie? Or cake? Oh it just makes me shiver.

That's why if you look through my blog there may be a whopping 3 or 4 chocolate based recipes. Because I don't want to give you guys a horrible chocolate-based recipe. I would feel so bad.

But my hope has been restored with a recipe that includes THREE different kinds of chocolate to make the most perfect fudge-y, dense, and chewy brookie I have ever encountered. You will not regret making this wonderful recipe. You won't, I promise!

Yes, you read right, this has three kinds of chocolate in the brookie dough. First, you'll whisk together your dry ingredients that includes flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. You are going to add your typical cookie ingredients such as butter, eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Next, you'll add a generous amount of melted chocolate. Are you ready? After that you'll add another batch of chocolate chips.

Are you already in your kitchen looking for your chocolate? I won't be upset if you are.

After you bake the cookies, you'll let them cool and whip up this amazing butter cream. It's light and fluffy and perfect with the brookie. Let me know how fast these go!

INGREDIENTS
For the brookie -
1 C + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (chips, pieces, etc.)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 C light brown sugar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 C mini chocolate chips
For the buttercream -
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 C powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for in 30 second increments until melted. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla. Set aside. Cream the butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in the sugars

3. Mix in the beaten egg/vanilla until incorporated. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients on slow speed. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

4. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop about 1 Tbsp of dough and roll into a slightly flattened ball. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the top has begun to look matte.

5. As the cookies cool, make the buttercream. Cream the butter until smooth. Add the vanilla and cream, then slowly add in the powdered sugar until light and fluffy.

6. Using a gallon Ziploc bag, fill the bag with frosting and cut the corner of the bag off. Frost the bottom end of a cooled cookie and top with another to make a sandwich.

Homemade Soft Caramels

I am SO excited to share this recipe with you!

I never thought I would ever get around to making candies in my kitchen, but this year I decided that it was a personal goal I wanted to take on. 

I love caramels, but I was always so hesitant to try making them at home because the recipes all use a candy thermometer. I always thought to myself, "gosh, if I try using one of those I'd probably burn the house down." Don't ask me where that thought came from, it just popped into my head. 

Anyways, I finally found a recipe online and decided to give it a whirl. I split this recipe in half and omitted the vanilla and I found these caramels to be amazing. It also made a billion caramels. I'm only partially joking, because it made a ton. A. Ton. 

My iPad will not allow me to link the recipe, but I found the original post on Tatses Better From Scratch (search: homemade caramels).

I do have a few tips for making caramels from my experience that others might not warn you about or that you might over look.

1) Stir, stir, stir. - If you're anything like me, you like to just let things simmer and go about doing other stuff around the house. Well, don't. Not with this recipe. You need to be alert and at the ready at all times, and stirring will keep the caramel from getting too brown at the bottom of the pot.

2) Wrappers - If you need wrappers, try your luck at pre-planning and finding some cute ones online. Otherwise, I would pre-cut your wrappers so you don't have to do it while you're cutting your caramel. I successfully wrapped mine in wax paper that was about 3" wide and 2" tall, I would place the caramel in the center of that wax paper piece, then fold the 2" side over the candy and twist the 3" sides to close it. I hope that makes sense. If not, practice makes perfect. :)

3) Cutting the caramel - This part isn't hard. You chill the caramel for a bit then you take it out and cut it. I would recommend something short like a flat-edged metal spatula rather than a knife because you'll be pouring these caramels into a lipped cookie sheet and the knife can't really get in the sides. Also, the metal spatula will be perfect for scooping them out, too!

4) Candy Thermometer - Yes, there are some people out there that can tell when caramel is ready just by looking at it. That is super impressive; but for a newbie, I'd recommend getting a candy thermometer. They are about $6 at Walmart or you can check your local kitchen gadget shop for more kinds. I like the old school kind, not the digital. (Personal preference, but I know that my battery will never die, hah!)

These photos are gorgeous, oh my gosh. I love them! They are seriously some of my favorite photographs of food I've taken yet! 

Alright, let's get started! Also, don't be discouraged if you mess up. This was my second attempt. My first was without a candy thermometer and I ended up having 6 cups of caramel syrup that I had to find uses for. It was still tasty though! 

Homemade Caramels

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

1 cup light Karo syrup

1 (12 oz can) evaporated milk

Directions:

1) Butter a jelly roll pan and set aside. (Mine was approx. 15" x 11")

2) Add butter, sugar, and Karo syrup to a large heavy-bottomed sauce pot over medium heat. Attach the candy thermometer to the side, but do not let the tip touch the bottom of the pan. Stir the mixture over medium heat until it begins to boil, this could be anywhere from 5-15 minutes.

3) Once the mixture starts to boil, slowly add in the evaporated milk, making sure you allow the mixture to constantly boil.

4) Stire the mixture often, scraping the sides and bottom of the pot, until it reaches 240F on the candy thermometer. This could take anywhere from 20-45 minutes. Once the caramel reaches 240F, remove it from the heat.

5) Pour the caramel into the buttered pan. Refrigerate until the caramels are cooled and hard. This should take several hours or even overnight. Cut the caramel into small squares and wrap if desired. 

Reese's Cookie Bars

Hello readers! 

I know, I know. It has been almost a YEAR since I last posted, and I am so so so sorry about that. My job has taken over my life and leaves me little time to do recipe developing on the side. Also, my laptop went capoot, so I am currently typing this on my iPad. It's weird.

Anyways, I'd thought I'd bring you a pretty simple recipe today. It involves two ingredients. Make it 3 if you want to add sprinkles. This recipe is also quite versatile. You can make it with any shape of Reese's candy, any kind of cookie dough (personal,y I'd keep to chocolate chip, but that's my favorite!), you can change up the color of sprinkles to match the season. It's so easy!

Look at dat Reese pumpkin. Delish. 

I love Reese cups, shapes, pieces. I love it all. It's really the only candy I make the conscious decision to buy from time to time. Crazy, huh?

Alright, enough with chit chat, I hope you enjoy!

Reese's Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

1 package or tube of chocolate chip cookie dough

A handful of Reese cups or shapes, chilled for easier cutting

Seasonal sprinkles

Directions.

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9" x 9" pan with aluminum foil.

2. Take the dough and press evenly in the 9" x 9" pan. Yes, it will be thin.

3. Take your chilled Reese cups and sprinkle them over the dough, the slightly press into the dough. Feel free to chop them up to make them smaller and more evenly spread. 

4. Sprinkle the top with your favorite seasonal jimmies.

5. Bake for about 18 minutes and check for doneness. You want the outside of the cookie bars to be baked but the inside can be slightly undercooked. If not baked to your liking, continue baking at 3 minute intervals until it is.

6. Let the bars cool completely before cutting and serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Pumpkin Pie Cookies - Cookie Craze Countdown

Welcome to Day 4 of my Cookie Crazy Countdown!

Today, I'm sharing a recipe that people just adored, pumpkin pie cookies! I posted these when I first started this blog, but I thought I'd give them a re-shoot and a re-bake so I could enjoy them again and share them with you. 

This recipe is so easy. Just a few simple ingredients like sugar cookie mix, cream cheese, some pumpkin, and other staple items. Mix it up, press it in a pan, bake, and you're ready to go. I love recipes like this because they are quick to make and don't require chilling the dough before baking. Sometimes us humans just don't have time for that!

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookie Base & Topping - 

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix

1/4 C cold butter

4 oz cold cream cheese

Filling - 

4 oz cream cheese, softened 

2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp canned pumpkin

2 tsp flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease two cupcake pans and set aside. 

2. In a medium bowl, cut the cold butter and cold cream cheese into the cookie mix until crumbly. Reserve one cup for the topping. Press two tablespoons of the mixture into each pan, which will make approximately 18 cookie bases. 

3. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, canned pumpkin, flour, and cinnamon until fully incorporated. Place a spoonful of the filling into each cupcake cavity. Sprinkle the remaining cookie mixture on top of each cookie and baked for 18-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the cupcake pan. 

Paleo Gingersnaps - Cookie Craze Countdown

Day 3 of the Cookie Craze Countdown and I've got something for you healthier folks. My significant other has been on a Paleo diet for many moons. So in order for him to eat desserts, I have to come up with something that has no gluten, dairy, or processed sugar in it. Sounds difficult, huh?

His favorite cookie happens to be gingersnaps, and lo and behold, I was able to whip up a batch of Paleo Gingersnaps and I even topped it with some chocolate drizzle.

These cookies don't have the snap that I've experience in, say, Nabisco Gingersnaps, but they have the same flavor and, for a Paleo cookie, are pretty good.

Paleo Gingersnap Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle

Ingredients:
2 C almond flour
1/4 tsp salt, kosher or sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/3 C honey or syrup
4 tbsp melted coconut oil
Coconut sugar - optional

For the chocolate drizzle - 
4 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
2 tbsp agave nectar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. In a smaller bowl, mix together the honey and coconut oil. Add the wet into the dry and mix until combined.

3. Scoop the dough into balls and place 2" apart on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coconut sugar if desired. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

4. Mix all the ingredients for the chocolate drizzle in a bowl. Drizzle over the gingersnaps. Most likely the chocolate will not set until you keep the cookies in the freezer.

Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies - Cookie Craze Countdown

Welcome to the 2nd day of my cookie craze countdown!

Today is a special recipe, because I used this recipe for the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

If you haven't heard of the FB Cookie Swap, it's a pretty neat deal. If you're a food blogger and post regularly, you can participate in this awesome event. Each food blogger donates $5 to Cookies for Kids' Cancer, and then you send one dozen cookies to three different food bloggers, and you receive one dozen cookies from three different food bloggers as well! It's a win-win-win situation!

Also, I got this awesome piping set from OXO! Can't beat that.

Here are the cookies and their respective bloggers that I got this year as well. They were all great recipes and I can't wait to see them posted on the Cookie Swap page!

First was some Pomegranate Coconut Thumbprint Cookies and Bourbon Salted Caramels from A Spicy Perspective. They were great! (and they mail well, hint hint!)

Next I got these awesome Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies from Garlic, My Soul. They had such a good flavor, like they were made with extra love!

Lastly I got these Cinnamon Toffee Crunch Cookies from The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie. They are my favorite kind of cookie, chewy and full of flavor. Yummy!

Ok, back to my recipe! It's is pretty simple, the dough base comes from this delicious cookie and for some reason, I'm drawn to chocolate recipes for this cookie swap, because last year I made these.

Nothing too fancy, but here are a few tips to help you with your cookie making!
1. If, for some reason, your cookies turn out flat as a wafer, chill the dough for 30-45 minutes. It won't hurt it, and will help revive your cookies if this does end up happening. I've had these cookies turn out perfectly and flat and haven't figured out what went wrong, but when I chilled them that ended up baking well.
2. You can switch out the add-ins for anything your heart desires: Reese's minis, more chocolate chips, Reese's chips, Andes Mint chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, and on and on!
3. The cookie dough will be sticky and that's a good thing! Don't worry about it, and if you follow the directions word for word, you should come out on the other side with perfect cookies!

Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies

Ingredients:
1 C semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
3/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 C light brown sugar, packed
1/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C Andes peppermint crunch baking chips

Directions:
1. Melt the 1 cup of semisweet chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments (or in a double broiler on the stove). Stir until completely melted and set aside to cool.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fully incorporated. Add in the egg mixture and beat well.
5. Slowly pour the melted chocolate into the creamed mixture and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.
6. Using a wooden spatular, stir in the chocolate chips and peppermint crunch pieces. Cover and let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 350F. Using a cookie dough scoop, drop the cookies 2 inches apart on a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) lined cookie sheets. Lightly press down the dough. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Dipped in White Chocolate - Cookie Craze Countdown

Welcome to Cookie Craze Countdown!

For the next 10 days, you're going to get a new cookie recipe every day to get you in the holiday spirit!

I don't know about you, but this season has been really hectic. I went to New York City for Thanksgiving, and since the week before that trip, I've been going non-stop! That's okay though, this year has felt much more festive than years past, and I'm glad I can enjoy this holiday season in such a good spirit!

So today, I'll be sharing a recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser: red velvet crinkle cookies dipped in white chocolate. These cookies are so easy to make and require few ingredients and just a little bit of your time. They are dense and chewy (my favorite kind of cookie!) and the white chocolate is just absolutely perfect. Add some festive sprinkles and you're set! These would be great for a cookie exchange or a Christmas party since they are so quick to make!

Some tips on making this recipe go smoothly:
1. Use vanilla almond bark, not melting chocolate. It will taste so much better!
2. My secret to perfect melted almond bark is to add a spoonful of shortening to the bark while it melts. I don't measure the shortening, but it's about a tablespoon. Stir it in while the bark is melting and your dipping process will be much smoother. Literally!
3. You can pop the dipped cookies in the fridge to let the chocolate set more quickly if you're in a hurry!

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Dipped in White Chocolate

Ingredients:
6 tbsp butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 box (approx 15.3 oz) of Red Velvet cake mix
1 package (1 lb) almond bark
1 tablespoon shortening - optional but preferred
Festive Sprinkles - optional

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, eggs, and cake mix until a dough forms. Using a cookie scoop or your hands, scoop the dough and roll into balls. Place on a baking sheet, 2-3 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes and let the cookies cool completely before dipping.

3. In a double boiler, or your preferred melting chocolate method, melt the almond bark and shortening until smooth. Dip the cooled cookie half way into the chocolate and lay on wax paper. Sprinkle the white chocolate with sprinkles if desired. Let the chocolate set completely before storing. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Filling and Dark Chocolate Buttercream - Fair-sday #3

Welcome to another Fair-sday! This round I will be sharing my 1st Place and 2nd Place Overall cake! 

There is a reason this cake won 2nd Place Overall. 2nd Place Overall out of 70 participants!

Also, this cake is the base for my most popular post (with over 20,000 hits and rising) Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Dark Chocolate Buttercream. 

I am in awe that this cake has made it in the Pinterest world. I honestly never thought my blog would hit 20K views, but it's been steadily rising every day!

So this recipe is pretty simple. Dark chocolate cake. Dark chocolate buttercream. Peanut butter filling. 

The peanut butter filling is also very frosting-like. As you will see when you read the recipe, it's a powdered sugar and butter base, just like all of my frostings. 

I hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
For the cake-

3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee, cooled

For the peanut butter filling- 
1 cup peanut butter
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Dark Chocolate Buttercream:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
6 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two 9” cake pans. Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand beater, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
3. Add the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Slowly pour the cooled coffee down the side of the bowl while mixing constantly.
4. Divide batter into two cake pans and bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
5. To make peanut butter filling: Cream together peanut butter and butter until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar until mixed in. Add milk and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. Store the filling at room temperature in an air tight container.
6. To make the dark chocolate buttercream: Cream the butter until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar until mixed in. Slowly add the cocoa powder until mixed in. Add milk and vanilla until fully incorporated. Store the frosting at room temperature in an air tight container.
6. To frost the cakes: Level the tops of the cakes with a large knife. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter filling on the top of one cake, then stack the second cake on top. Spread another thin layer of peanut butter filling on the topmost cake. Place in the fridge and let chill for 30 minutes. Frost the layered cakes with the dark chocolate buttercream using a flat decorating spatula. Store the frosted cake at room temperature in an air tight container.

To see the rest of my State Fair Award Winning Recipes, click here!

Try more recipes similar to this!

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Dark Chocolate Buttercream

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

Coffee Break #6

Hello blog readers!

Thanks for dropping by my 6th Coffee Break! Don't worry, I have way more in the real world!

I haven't posted since the first of April, and that's been about 7 months of lots of happenings! So this post might be a little long-winded. Lots of photos and things to show you… I am a visual person, after all.

I make cupcakes and small cakes at work!

Got a new tattoo and I LOVE it!

My love and I at a food truck event in OKC.

Some really sweet and amazing women. <3

Award winning baker right here!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cupcakes! Easy to do!

Phantom of the Opera, the best show I've seen so far. 

Practicing writing with frosting. It's harder than you think!

4th Anniversary! 9.15.10

My first wedding cake! Holy cow how beautiful!

Texas State Fair, y'all!

Corgi + Pug = Ultimate Happiness

Family Photo!

"Pug"kin carving!

Oh hey! It's BMO and LSP! (Adventure Time characters)

Halloween at Das Boot. Hogwarts Student and Dead Viking.

The cutest pug in the world!

I've been crocheting A LOT lately. Lots of hats and ear warmers!

Last but not least… Where I'll be spending my Thanksgiving with my mom!